Collapsible box



March 5, 1946. H. w. FINN GOLLAPSIBLE BOX Filed NOV. 25, 1943 Elma/MM and n... a, 1 46 2,396,168

UNITE STATES- PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE BOX Barry W. Finn, Monroe, Mich., asslgnor to (ionsolidated Paper Company, Monroe, Mich, it corporation of Michigan Application November 25, 1943, Serial No. 511,852

1 Claim.

This invention relates to set-up and knockdown features in boxes or containers.

This invention has utility when incorporated in heavy paper and fiberboard boxes which may be 4; and

Fig. 6 is an end view of the box of Fig. 4 as 7 opened up and deposited in a trough or conveyor to be charged.

The blank has a front side I one end of which is hinged to a box end portion 2 extending to a back 3 of similar extent to the front I. The back 3, remote from the end 2 has similar extent end 4. Upon the free end region adhesive 5 may anchor hinged extension or overlap 6 from the free end of the side or front I, thereb forming the blank into a tube. The ends 2, 4, have top fold-over or flange portions 1, 8, while therebetween, the back 3 has box'cover or tdp 3 with a relatively foldable tongue extension In adapted to be inserted back of the top of the front side I as the top 3 is downward tohold the portions 1, 3, toward each other in a plane.

The box blank, in practice is not set up in open ended tube form, but simultaneously with the gluing or side wall assembly, two sealing or bonding connections are performed for the bottom. The back 3 has opposite from the top 3, an extension ll having a hinge l2 to a triangular portion l3 adapted to have adhesive l4 anchor excompact in the flat for shipment, and readily, by 5 ing edge 23 extends away from scoring 21 hinge a single pressure direction, opened for charging, connecting the bottom portion or back extension and when emptied, readily collapsed, by a difler- H from the back 3. The end i5 has edge 28 opent direction pressure, to be stored for reuse. posite the edge 23 of somewhat greater taper or Referring to the drawing: narrowing direction. The bottom portion ll, re- Flg. 1 is a view of a blank for the box or con- 10 mote f m he triangular Portion l has a curve tainer of the invention. herein; edge 23.

Fig. 2 is a plan view looking into a collapsed In the blank folding for adhesive action or the box as given the initial pressure for setting up or gluing, there is thruout each adhesive area a opening from the flat; common number of piles of the stock of the blank, Fig. 3 is a plan view looking into a set-up or hich means that the box making machine in its opened box from the blank of Fig. 1, as the initial application of Pressure o d r h adhe i pressure is applied for recollapsing into a flat; ct has s c s uee e r pressure action uni- Fig. 4 is a perspective view, with parts broken form thruout the extent to be bonded. To this away of the set up box of Fig, 3; end, the flap 25 is against the extension Bfor the Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the box of Fig. latter to adhere thru the bonding agent 5 with the end 4.

To set up the flat blank of the box thus in sealed assembly in the flat, longer diagonal corners 30, 3|; may be thrust toward each other. In

this operation, the incline 23 veers away from the tension l5 therewith. The extension I5 is from its edge is anchored at hinge 20 of major bottom .portion or extension 2| from the front I, by adhesive 22. The bottom 2| has end narrowing edge 23 and remote therefrom a scoring or hinge line back 3' as the edge 23 moves away from the end 2. The curved edge 23 moves under the end l5. This locates edge 32 of the extension I 8 at the hinge or scoring 21 and the scoring 24 at a hinge line 33 for'the extension I5 from the end 4. These -registering lines atthe bottom box corners have a self-locking set-up trait for retaining the box in open position. In this setting up or opening of the box, the flap 25 rides over the edge 23. This flap 25 is of advantage in the more shallow boxes, and is omitted in the box of Fig. 2.

The less shallow or larger capacity box, besides omitting the flap 25, may have flanges 34, 35, of greater extent than the flanges I, 3. Notches 35 the better to define the fold tongue extension ill, may also engage the portions of the flanges 34, 35, adjacent their connections with the ends, as an aid to retain the cover of the box closed to conceal the contents.

A practical consideration herein is the ready opening-up of the boxes, which may be deposited in line at an angle on a trough or conveyor 31 to pass along for packers to place the charge thereinto. An instance of acceptable use is for dough nuts. When the contents have been removed, the

boxis asreadily collapsedas opened, but diagonal corners 33, 33, are thrust toward each other, being the opposite diagonal corners from those effective for the box opening. The used, or previously set up box, is now in the flat for compact storage, or return, say to the bakery for refill. In some instances a window 40 may be provided and the container thereby may function to display the contents.

The assembly is of the adhesive flap [3 engaging the bottom section end l5. The remote regions 28, 29, as of less extent readily cam or guide under the complementary pair of bottom sections 2|, I 6, having the engaging flap 22. The cam action to set up by thrusting the corners 30, 3|, toward each other, brings the section 2| down over the sections l5, II, in a stabilized set up for placing contents in the box. Thrusting the corners 38, 39, toward each other, is converse, or collapse. There is five ply I, 2| 22, I6, 2, for the adhesive machine in manufacture at one end; whil at the other end the five ply 46-! 5, 25-l3, II, I. While there is not adhesive at the flap 25, it serves as 9. ply in the box manufacturing operation to hold the ply 6 at the adhesive 5.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

A collapsible box comprising in a single strip tour directly-hinged-together side portions for a front and back alternated with two end portions with a connecting flap on the free end of one 01 the portions adhesively secured to the adjacent free end of the strip to provide an overlapping portion to form bounds for a box top and bottom, each end portion and one adjacent side at the region of the box bottom having extension flaps with adhesive connection therebetween, thereby assembling the side and end flaps into a two section bottom for the box with each flap of said bottom directly hinged to one of said four portions, the bottom sections being independent at the corner having the overlap, the bottom extension flap on the end thereof adjacent the said end connecting flap which, in the assembly of the box in the collapsed position, overlies in face contacting relation said end connecting flap to fill out the plies of the strip at the overlapping portion to seat the overlap under pressure with the adhesive.

HARRY W. FINN. 

